Drifter0658′s Weblog
Motorcycle leathers for bikers and those who just like the lookNote To Pakastani Government : Give Your Leather Tanners A Handkercheif
Please Modernize!
Apologies to those who see this a broken record, but this has to be written. The Pakistani leather industry is yelling for help. In an article posted at The Daily Times, Chairman of the Pakistan Tanners Association(PTA), Agha Saiddain, speaks of the incentives that governments in competing countries are raising incentives for export of leather goods such as biker jackets and other apparel.
The governments of China, India and Bangladesh have introduced new incentives to save their leather industries.
Due to global slowdown and weak demand, the Chinese government issued circulars raising the export rebates from 11 percent to 14 percent on various leather items.
India is already paying 11.50 percent and Bangladesh 15 percent rebate on leather, leather garments, gloves and shoes.
India has recently announced 11th leather plan with an outlay of Rs 9.13 billion which is in addition to 10th plan with an outlay of Rs 4 billion.
In these circumstances Pakistan is losing its market share and tanneries are running on 50 percent capacity, he lamented.
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<script type=”text/javascript” src=’http://debcrab1.hopfeed.com/script/hopfeed.js’></script>What’s worse is that Saiddain also mentions the loss of the competitive edge due to stricter environmental regulations than those imposed in the competing countries such as China, India, and Bangladesh. It has already been scribed here that theses competing nations not only helped develop the greener processes, but are also employing them; even if the regulations do not call for such implementations. The reason why? As it turns out, not only are these processes greener but they are cost efficient as well. Less energy and reuse of chemicals and water can
amount to tremendous savings, as reported at Business Standard:
The new process reduces usage and discharge of chemicals by 68% and 82% respectively.
This apart, the quality of the leather thus produced is comparable if not better than control leather, claimed the team.
Moreover, nearly $52 is saved in processing per metric tonne of raw hides, apart from reducing the effluent treatment costs.
Saiddain is making a plea for the Pakistani government to infuse the tanning industry with the same incentives that the the competition is getting, and he is correct in asking for it.
On the other hand, he should also ensure that the PTA is working towards a more efficient process, after all, Pakistan IS the leader in producing high quality leather goods.
Mortorcycles To; the introduction to a new series of blogs about some of my favorite bike trips
Mortorcycles To Portsmouth; the first in a series of blogs about some of my favorite bike rides
Cows To Jackets; a cool look at leather tanning
Find A Riding Partner;the place where road hearts meet
Cover That Biker Jacket
What a great idea. An insurance company now covers a rider’s helmet and leathers(biker jacket, gloves, leather chaps,etc.). Bikersure, an insurance company based in the United Kingdom is now offering coverage up to $700 on helmets and leathers under the premise that these items are part of the safety kit.
We recognise that good quality helmet and leathers are an essential part of a motorcyclist’s safety kit…We want to make it affordable for bikers to ride safely. Our Helmet and Leather policy makes it possible for them to easily replace damaged kit after an accident
For the cost of $20 a year, motorcyclists can obtain coverage on the kit. The insurance company also recommends that riders should invest 15% to 20% of the cost of the motorcycle into a proper and high quality kit.
Mortorcycles To; the introduction to a new series of blogs about some of my favorite bike trips
Mortorcycles To Portsmouth; the first in a series of blogs about some of my favorite bike rides
Cows To Jackets; a cool look at leather tanning
Find A Riding Partner;the place where road hearts meet
Greener Leather Biker Jackets
An article posted at GreenBiz.com Jan.16, 2009, reveals that the Chinese leather company, Isa Tan Tec, is about to complete their newest facility in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. The author cites that the $8.7 million invested is all about the new greener process, but there is more to this story than just an ecologically sound manufacturing process.Isa Tan Tec is taking great advantage of building a new tannery and loading it with the latest technoligies that not only are enviromentally safe, but cost reducing as well.
In a span of 18 months, the company reduced electricity used for retanning by 76 percent and reduced heavy oil use by 28 percent.
The company’s overall process for making its LITE (Low Impact To the Environment) leather uses 30 percent less energy and 50 percent less water, and emits 35 percent less carbon dioxide, than industry standards derived from the British Leather Technology Center. The company’s LITE concept also stipulates continuous monitoring of the company’s energy and water use. How much water the company uses is recorded daily and the company analyzes it for where they can make reductions.
There is the big motivator, the cost reduction, and it may well be another nail in the Pakistani Leather Industry’s coffin.
The Pakistani people have been the world’s leading producers of quality leather and leather products for sixty years, and have done it with blinders on. Everyone was too busy making money to notice that fierce compition was lurking just around the next bend. The established technologies were not eco-friendly and resources were plentiful.
What the Pakistanis and thier governing body failed to notice (maybe they did, but they didn’t see the ramifications), was that countries like the United States were closing tanneries like dropping loose change in a couch. The number one reason these facilities were being closed was the cost of constricting enviromental regulations. Fast forward to today. Pakistan has made no moves to implement the new technologies, and the government has not put any money in the war chest to ward off the explosion of competitors in that region. India, Bangladesh, and the juggernautChina have all entered the game of producing quality leather products. Yes, quality. Isa Tan Tec for instance is producing footwear for companies such as Timberline, New Balance, and Hush Puppy.The rub is that the new players in the field are just that; new. The governments have provided incentives (that were set aside for their leather industries) before the current world recession and the Pakistani government did not do the same for their own concerns, thus giving the new kids in town a leg up on the Pakistanis. The Pakistani leather tanning industry is yelling for help, but at the moment there is none being given, even in the face of a 45% drop off of sales in the last quarter of 2008.
It appears that lack of foresight and planning may be the bullet fired into the heart of the wanning leader of leather production.
Mortorcycles To; the introduction to a new series of blogs about some of my favorite bike trips
Mortorcycles To Portsmouth; the first in a series of blogs about some of my favorite bike rides
Cows To Jackets; a cool look at leather tanning
Find A Riding Partner;the place where road hearts meet
No Nappa Leather For My Biker Jacket
Wallet Refugees
Although nappa leather is soft and gentle to the touch, it is in no way a leather for quality biker jackets. This chromium tanned leather is usually made from pigskin, lamb, or goat and is not nearly as rugged or wear worthy for a motorcycle jacket. Motorcycle apparel not only helps against ‘road rash’, but it also is constantly bombarded by slow insects and spilled beer. Nappa wouldn’t hold up for much of that.
On the otherhand, if it’s a high-end wallet, purse, or gloves you want, the Napppa would be your best bet.
I would suggest that before you purchase any leather biker apparel, whether at a brick and mortor store or online, that you make sure it is eithe naked cowhide or buffalo hide. There are some retailers who omit the fact that the so called biker wear is actually nappa. Sometimes you can tell if it is if you see a ‘-P’ in the SKU number for the product. Your best bet is to just ask. Some of us are still up-front and honest. And real too!
Want a nice wallet, purse, pair of gloves, or even a leather jacket to wear off the bike? Make it nappa, otherwise stick with the best; cowhide.
The Legend Behind The Pistol Pete Biker Jacket
As with most articles that have a legend to back them, the Pistol Pete leather motorcycle jacket is a mere vehicle to remember the reason for its name.
Frank Eaton
The double pattern biker jacket that bears the name Pistol Pete is not named for Pistol Pete Maravich or the Pistol Pete apparel line designed by famed fashion designer Pedro Diaz, but the jacket gets its name from one of the fastest gunslingers in what we call the Old West.
Frank Eaton was born in Connecticut, the year 1860. His father moved his family to Kansas and joined the Civil War as a Union soldier. After the war was over his father returned home and moved the family west, to Oklahoma, where he became a vigilante. In 1868, 5 men (former Confederate soldiers who claimed to be regulators) came to the Eaton home and gunned down Frank’s father as little Frank watched. Mose Beaman, his father’s friend, said to Frank: “My boy, may an old man’s curse rest upon you, if you do not try to avenge your father.”
At the age of 15, Frank decided he was going to need to learn to shoot a gun if he was going to avenge his father’s murder, so he headed to the nearest Army fort and learned. He became so proficient theat the fort’s commander gave him a medal and the nickname ‘Pistol Pete’.
At the age of 17, Frank went on to become a U.S. Marshall, working under the jurisdiction of District Judge Parker, known as the hanging judge. Between 17 and 25 Frank was able to hunt down and kill the 3 men reponsible for his father’s murder. The third man, Wyley Campsey, went down with his two bodyguards while Campseys was tending bar in Albuqueque New Mexico.
Frank had 11 notches in his gun belt before he retired as U.S. Marshall, all of which were wanted men.
‘Pistol Pete’ Eaton died at the young age of 98 in his Oklahoma home. It is said that he wore his guns until the day he died and that in his last years he was as fast on his draw as he was in his youth.
The fact is, the only reason that the jacket has been tagged Pistol Pete is because of a gun pocket on the outside. The pocket is sewn big enough to hold a full sized handgun and in such a way that access is easy when one slides their hand inside the jacket. My Pistol Pete’s gun pockets ar perfect for the cell phone and IPod, because I never know when I need to be quick on the draw for a tune change or a call for directions.
What The Heck Is Nubuck Leather?
I‘ve been asked about nubuck leather several times over the past few months and my general
reply is that it is similar to suede, at which point I generally get an, ‘Ohhhhhhhhh,’ and end of conversation. So, I think I’ll spew what I know about nubuck, which ain’t all that much.
Nubuck is made from the top surface of the hide whereas suede comes from the bottom side. Both are soft and lightweight, but nubuck is more wear resistant due to the grain. Nubuck also needs to be dyed heavily to cover up the results of the sanding and stamping processes that occur during the tanning.
Probably the one product most recognizable that is made from nubuck is baby shoes. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend nubuck for biker jackets. The same goes for suede, lamb skin, and any of the lighter weight leathers. The lighter weight leathers can be stylish, but they don’t wear like good ol’ cowhide, or even buffalo hide for that matter. Not that leather motorcycle jackets can’t be stylish, but it is important to remember that besides road rash, there are a host of lesser hazards that heavy weight, such as naked or top grain cowhide, leathers are more suited for riding. Bugs, rain that feels like small rocks, chair backs, bramble, and more can put a biker jacket to the test. When you wonder what nubuck leather is, think baby shoes, but if you wonder what kind of leather you want for your biker jacket, it’s gotta be cowhide baby!
Mortorcycles To; the introduction to a new series of blogs about some of my favorite bike trips Mortorcycles To Portsmouth; the first in a series of blogs about some of my favorite bike rides
Warmth At 18 Degrees
What on earth would possess someone to zip up their biker leathers and ride when it is 18o Fahrenheit, let alone 3000 someones, or why would people brave hazards such as icy roads to ride in a group?
I know exactly why.
Every year, thousands of bikers across the country team up with the Marine Corps to stage toy runs. These charity events only require that each rider and passenger bring a toy to participate. That’s all, just a toy. But, the gift of a single toy married to the thunderous roar of hundreds or thousands of bikes can bring about some deep emotions.
The toy run I ride in annually
is held in October and we stop at Dayton Children’s Hospital. When we parade into the parking lot the goosebumps begin. The children can be seen looking out the windows or waiting for us at the door.
Then the payoff. Usually, everyone brings way more than one toy and there’s is a box truck with the payload filled to capacity of toys. The truck barely gets unloaded into the laundry bins when dolls get squeezed, basketballs bounce errantly, and imaginations are fueled. Then……..well…….then big, burly, bearded bikers get hugs and requests for rides.
If there is one thing that most bikers have in common, that is a communal spirit. We share what we can with those in need. Throughout the year, poker runs are held for various charities, but the local toy runs are the most emotional for the bikers and children alike.
If Virginia O’Hanlon could ask me the same question she asked her father in 1897, I’d answer with a resounding, ‘YES! Virginia, there are thousands of Santa Claus’. Just look at all the Santas, in the Smokey Mountain area of North Carolina, that braved 18 o temperatures to deliver toys via their iron sleds.’
Mortorcycles To; the introduction to a new series of blogs about some of my favorite bike trips
Mortorcycles To Portsmouth; the first in a series of blogs about some of my favorite bike rides
Don’t Get Tanned Buying Leathers
Shopping on-line can be a frightful thing. Especially when it comes to
buying a leather biker jacket. We’ve all seen the products that look identical from one vendor to the next. And I mean IDENTICAL.
Be careful. Because so many leather jackets, vests, coats, chaps, and other leather apparel are constructed the same, with the exception of the material quality.
As I’ve talked before, the best you can buy in biker wear is ‘naked’ cowhide. Top grain cowhide runs in second place, the material with the least quality is split leather.
Many vendors will show you a great looking jacket, but until you get it home, you won’t know the quality of the leather. Sure, you just bought a coat for thirty, forty, even hundred dollars less from one vendor, when you saw what you thought was the same jacket at a higher price at another.
Most vendors offer a size chart, which should take that fear out of the leathers buying equation, but some won’t list what grade of leather it is. Heck, some won’t even tell you if it’s cowhide or buffalo (mostly Asian water buffalo these days).
I suggest you either call or e-mail the vendor and ask what grade the jacket is and how thick (in millimeters) the material is. When you call, you can at least get a sense of what kind of people work at the retailers and you’ll find that some are just friendly as heck.
Don’t let shopping for quality leather apparel on line scare you away. Just use the same tactics that you do in the mall.
Mortorcycles To; the introduction to a new series of blogs about some of my favorite bike trips
Mortorcycles To Portsmouth; the first in a series of blogs about some of my favorite bike rides
Cows To Jackets; a cool look at leather tanning
Find A Riding Partner;the place where road hearts meet
Make it a leather Christmas. Visit bikerleather123.com for the Merry Leather Christmas Sale.
Something Special About That Biker Jacket
What does your biker jacket mean to you? Mime means comfort and protection. Well, those and looks. But, to some, their leather jacket has a special meaning. Whether they were a special gift, or hold some dear memories.
I once worked with a guy who wore the same leather motorcycle jacket everyday. 90 degrees or -10, he wore that same well worn jacket. So, one day I asked him about that jacket, and why he wore it. His answer was heart rending to say the least. The jacket was his older brothers and it was about 20 years old. His brother had been dead five. As he explained it to me, what better tribute to his brother than to wear the jacket he wore when he was doing what he liked most; motorcycling.
What does your biker jacket hold for you?
Mortorcycles To; the introduction to a new series of blogs about some of my favorite bike trips
Mortorcycles To Portsmouth; the first in a series of blogs about some of my favorite bike rides
Cows To Jackets; a cool look at leather tanning
Find A Riding Partner;the place where road hearts meet
The Refreshing Crispness of Fall
Last March I was suffering cabin fever to the point of madness. February was not too bad, and I began to get my hopes up for an early start to the hard riding biker season. Then it happened. “It” was a snowstorm in the first week of March that dumped not only 13 inches of snow in a few short hours, but also my spirits.
But, spring came at last, and the riding season was off to a great start. Not too much much rain and the days were comfortable. Mornings and evenings required the biker jacket. The days were just warm enough to need the leather biker bags to stow the jackets in.
Then the blast furnace of summer came and riding was unbearable some days. My drifter is water cooled, so if I ride in heavy traffic areas, with frequent stops, the coolant assist fan kicks on, blowing the hot air onto my legs.
But, now I smell the season change yet again. Autumn is sneaking in like an impish child who just discovered the motherlode in the cookie jar. Like spring, autumn is loaded with crisp mornings and evenings, but the riding is somehow different. Maybe it’s the colors ,or, as I think it is with me, it’s the realization that we have a few short weeks to ride our hearts out. The last blast if you will.
And once again, the leathers prove their weight in gold. The heavy gage, yet pliable material is perfect for motorcyclists. Comfortable, stylish, and protective. Some jackets are even vented so the rider can let the air roll through during the warm daylight hours, and close the vents for the cool mornings and nights.
I really can’t wait for the refreshing fall rides. I’ll be grabbing my jacket and tossing Deb’s motorcycle jacket to her in a sprint to the bike.
Ike The Blowhard
Wow! The area I live in, actually most of of Ohio, hasn’t experienced anything like it did Sunday September 14, 2008. 65 mph sustained winds for at least 5 hours in my neighborhood. Even greater in other areas near me. The last gasps of Ike were mighty indeed.
To top it off, we were riding in the pre-blow for a couple of hours. The winds then were somewhere around 35-40 mph sustained. I got struck by a pine cone and decided enough of was enough and tacked the bike home as if it were a sailboat., dodging aluminum siding, trees branches, and all sorts of debris.
Fortunately I had been wearing my vented biker jacket. The Temperature was 85 degrees and the open vents allowed the air to flow through the jacket instead of puffing the jacket like a hot air balloon.
No matter what fun I thought all the hard work was, it was still dangerous. And the danger is probably what most of the fun was about. On the otherhand, as I look back at those two hours, I feel rather stupid. Two riders were killed that day as they rode through Huston Woods State Park, when a tree came crashing down on them.
Gloves Can Be More Than Hand Warmers
Okay. So most of us grab our fingerless leather gloves during the riding season, not to keep our hands warm, but to just plain look cool. And on either end of the season we wear full fingered gloves to keep our hands warm. But, the right gloves can do more for us bikers than keep our hands defended against the assailing cold air.
Recently, I purchased a pair of leather riding gloves that are not only lined, but also have gauntlets. I quickly fell in love after wearing them on the way to work during a sub-50 degree morning. The full fingered construction is wonderful, as well as the lining, but the best features are the gauntlets. They keep the wind from rushing up the jacket sleeves, allowing the jacket lining to insulate to its fullest ability.
Remember that your hands are the first part of your body that meets the elements, and the right glove can go a long way towards a comfortable ride.
Put ‘Em To Work
Think back to the time(s) that your biker jacket pockets were filled with the stuff to insignificant to stow away in the storage compartments of your saddlebags, yet too valuable not to have with you for brief stops. Hairbrush, wallet, cigarettes, etc.
Most of us 99% ers have someone on the back, when we ride, whether or not we try to entice them back there. Furthermore, those passengers are regular occupants of the sight seer’s post. I say let those stowaways serve a useful purpose. Let them carry the items used for the in ride stops.
Really, a way cool way to do this is by using a leather backpack. Some are small enough to look chic AND be functional. Besides, if the pilot is the one accessing the bag, an opportunity arises where he/she can throw an unsuspected Bronx Cheer at the rider. Unless the operator is stupid enough to do this in front of a gas station window, which could bring about an uneasy silence for the remainder of the ride.
Make the dead weight pay their way for the ride by carrying some of the burden.
Biker Jacket Evolution
Those guys up there (in the header of my Blog) are the members of the Portsmouth, Ohio motorcycle club. That picture was taken in 1913 and the club was already 20 years old. Kinda hard to tell in this digital rendering, but I don’t think any of them were wearing ‘leathers’. Although, it wasn’t long afterward that motorcyclists were seen in leather jackets.
The first ‘biker jackets‘ were actually jackets worn by tank crews and aviators from WWI. These jackets were in abundance due to the war machine economy. Farmers sold horse hide by the tons to the manufacturers of military clothing.
It wasn’t until 1928, when the Schott Brothers opened thier clothing factory, that true “double pattern” biker jackets were available. The leather was heavier as the jackets were worn for protection above all else.
In the mid-1950′s two things happened to the motorcycle jacket that vaulted the biker look into stratospheric heights. Brando and Dean. Marlon Brando’s portrayal of Johnny Strabler, the leader of a racous motorcyle club in 1953′s ‘The Wild One’ brought the image of the 1%er to the attention of the world, and James Dean wore the jacket, well, because he was James Dean. Dean’s fashion statement of the disenchanted youth was the catalyst of the movement for another rebelious group to wear the biker jacket. Rockers in the 50′s through today wear them as part of their image.
Naturally, when items become a fad, the original intent of their use becomes watered down. But, even today, leather biker jackets still are looked at as protection. Many come with Kevlar armor sewn in to protect vital areas of the rider’s upper torso. The Leather is still heavy and provides ample protection against the elements.
Remember, when you put your leathers on, that even though you may see them as a fashion statement, they still are highly functional, just as their ancestors were on the backs of aviators and tanker crews.
A Great Day To Climb A Hill
Looks like another pleasant day is in store for the Hill Climbs. The famed Devil’s Starecase in Orgonia Ohio has been the home for some fun times for longer than I can remember. Literally.
This year will mark the 58th time those daring folks try to beat the Devil, and I can remember watching the broadcast from the competition on Wide World of Sports. I recall that there was a rider who was missing a leg and attached a leg shaped weight on his bike to provide the ever needed balance required to dance up the hill.
I really never bounce in on the big party in town, held at the River’s Edge bar and grill. I just have a blast at the climbs. Whether it’s on the opposing hill, drinking beer from a gallon jug or just watching the other drunks trying to navigate themselves down the hill to the bathroom.
But, the big thrill is standing near(not behind, unless you don’t mind dodging the super sonic rocks, dirt, mud, or general debris) the launching pad.
And the forecast this year looks like mid 70′s and dry. Looks like it’s a day for safety glasses and stuffing the motorcycle jacket in the motorcycle saddlebag. A great time indeed. Make it there, Oct 12, 2008 and I’ll buy ya beer.
Big Hearted Bikers And The Surreal Ride
Let there be no doubt, when it comes to charity, you’d be hard pressed to find a bigger heart than what lurks under the shroud of a faded leather biker jacket. I’ve ridden in dozens of charity poker runs for all kinds of charitable causes and every time I am amazed at the generosity and camaraderie of the one time menace to society, the demon on two wheels.
This past weekend there was a short notice benefit run, but the organization time allowed was the only aspect lacking. Members of Bikers For Christ organized, routed, and held the run in under two weeks. During the preparation for the ride, two nieces of the ride’s namesake gathered donations and contributions from 85 businesses. Amazing. Burnouts for all the efforts.
As for the ride, which started with temperatures that hovered in the upper 40′s, thank god for the leather biker apparel, and an invocation from, here’s where the surrealism begins, the Chaplain of the Dayton Satans MC. Apparently, the Chaplain has bible readings once a week at the clubhouse.
We were about 10 minutes into the ride and I got smacked in the lip by what I first assumed was a random bug. But after a few seconds I realized that I had ran into the backside of a bee at 50 mph. By the time we made the first stop, my lip could have eclipsed the Hindenburg.
Now, I really didn’t feel the need to draw any attention to my new facial feature, apparently it was doing a fine job all on its own, solely because I had no desire for one of the born again Satans to ‘lay hands’ on my lip in an attempt to faith heal it. I had visions of The Brass Knuckles Of God with the testimony of, “Get thee from this man’s lip, demon venom of the Devil’s Bee.”
Well, that didn’t happen, but plenty of good natured ribbing was hurled my way. On top of the beer dribbling down my chin, all in all it was fun.
The benefit ride netted nearly $100 per bike in charity from the bikers. Money that will go along way to help pay medical bills. And this is ALWAYS the case with every benefit run. So, next time you get a chance to thank a biker, do so with a big belch and a hell yeah.
The Three Coolest Biker Jackets Of All Time
There are many iconic attributes or items that we see everyday that speak of ‘cool’. Scars, a swagger, the way hats are worn are just a few, but none of them say cool like the leather biker jacket. The wearer of the biker jacket is seen as many things, none of them angelic, and most who wear the coat are never seen as totally evil, although there are few exceptions to this rule, we see those people as mostly those who live on the edge. Our inner selves yearn to be like them, thus the term ‘Weekend Warriors’. And few jackets have left of more lasting impression of the ‘rugged good-guy’ than the jackets worn by Evel Knievel, James Dean, and Marlon Brando.
Those of us who remember the anticipation of waiting to see that red, white and blue (mostly white) jacket and cape fly magically over buses, fountains, cars, and almost anything that would stand still, remember that we also watched to see if they would land unscuffed. We also watched because Evel Knievel dared us to. Evel was daring personified. Famous for his crashes and bravado, Evel was the ultimate showman. The P.T. Barnum of the 1970’s. Here was a man that created his own legend by pretending he was several different members of the press, so that he could get his first Vegas jump. The rest of his career, he body surfed on our need to be thrilled. We would cheer when he landed and gasp when he failed, either result would have us talking for weeks. How many of us built ramps in the allies and streets to jump our banana seated bikes across, because of that leather jacket and the man who wore it?
The jacket that we see James Dean in was the icing on the dark cake that bore the taste of the ‘restless youth of America’. In an era that was the infant stages of the cold war, America’s youth began to take the rebellious nature that comes with youth more seriously, or at least they began to question authority and why do those who have authority have it. Not having the answers to the questions they had, some youth became disenchanted with the American dream. They became rebels. The rebel that Dean represented was one on the edge, but who had a true and honest heart. His is the jacket that makes women swoon at the bad boy image. The guy that races for the sheer excitement, and loves with passion. His jacket is the protector of the rebel spirit.
The granddaddy of all ‘cool’ biker jackets was the one sported by Marlon Brando, a.k.a.
Johnny Strabler, in ‘The Wild One’. The ‘Wild One’ was the original biker film. But, the movie was layered with characters that on the surface were mindless beasts, and under closer examination had very humane qualities. Johnny Strabler being the most human of them all. The wandering rebel, looking for his soul and trying to hide it all in the same snarl. Johnny was the penultimate chaotic good character, never meaning to do much harm and trying to do right as he saw fit. His jacket was well worn and just the look of it said it had many stories to tell, some not too wonderful but not all together hateful. When we see that jacket, we think of how we would ride with Johnny, bit would feel uncomfortable if he came into our café.
Johnny Strabler, James Dean, and Evel Knievel all would still have been memorable without their jackets, but the biker leathers help promote their everlasting personalities. Personalities that we have daydreamed to emulate from time to time
An Effort For A ‘Greener’ Leather tanning process
Leather tanning is one of the oldest crafts known to man. Animal hides have been used for clothing and shelter since we began hunting for survival, which I hazard to guess has been a very long time. A process that started out by rubbing animal fat on the skin to preserve the hide has turned into a multi-billion dollar industry. Leather boots, biker jackets, purses belts, upholstery, the list goes on forever.
Salts and like chemicals were added to the process, around the 11th century A.D., and from there more efforts were made to hasten the process while producing a better product. In the 19th century, chromium was discovered to be the greatest thing for the tanning industry since sliced bread.
Like every other industry that grew exponentially after the Industrial Revolution, the Tanning industry had no time to consider the environmental impact that its facilities had on this planet. The amount of water used in the process is huge. And the exhaust in the form of solids is astounding. One metric ton of raw hide yields 250-300 kg of leather but also leaves 600 kg of solid waste, including sludge.
In 2006, a chemical research team at the Central Leather Research Institute in Chennai, India, announced a new process called ‘Reverse Tanning’. Part of that process is the use of reverse osmosis which reclaims much of what was once waste water for the process. In addition, the new process allows for the reclamation of a large percentage of the chromium used in the process. All the time, the quality of the leather produced remains intact. As a result, most of India’s tanning operations have converted to the new process.
The researchers found that simply reversing the order of the tanning and post-tanning steps can drastically improve the process. By also promoting non-chemical-based pre-tanning methods, they have reduced the amount chemicals released by 82% and made an energy saving of nearly 40%.
Perhaps, with this advancement we will see a regrowth of the tanning industry in the United States, where we have only 40 facilities that perform the complete tanning process. Then again, maybe we have grown bored of yet another opportunity.
From MOOO To MOOOtercycle Jackets
Own The Leathers That Own The Road
New Leathers!
Just in time for Christmas! Bikerleather123 has introduced a ton of new leather apparel at the store. Biker vests, leather coats, and pants just to name a few.
All motorcycle leather jackets, chaps, biker vests, mens and womens leather coats and dusters, leather saddle bags, and sexy biker chick wear are high quality and affordable. You can’t beat real leather!
Mortorcycles To; the introduction to a new series of blogs about some of my favorite bike trips
Mortorcycles To Portsmouth; the first in a series of blogs about some of my favorite bike rides
Cows To Jackets; a cool look at leather tanning
Find A Riding Partner;the place where road hearts meet
Make it a leather Christmas. Visit bikerleather123.com for the Merry Leather Christmas Sale.
